The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-07-09

dor of Howard Thorndikes affection, or
build any Insurmountable barrier between
himself and the object of his love, and that
evening he stepped on the New York train
as the affianced husband of Miss Effie Des-
mond.
During the past year he had been some
what annoyed at finding her absent from
hons several times when she had known
he was coming from New York 70 visit her.
1t was not so much the fact of her absence
which disturbed him as the apparent lack
Of confidence and the carelessness to which
he attributed her neglect to notify him by
letter or telegram. Ii had hurt his feel
ings. although he had RETAINED from even
mentioning II to her. At times he thought
II sin ular that. for lady of her educa-
ton, she had proven such poor cores
pondent for, according to mutual agree
meut two letters a week We're to pass be-
tween them, and as regularly as the stlpu-
lated days came round he dropped his
billet-d oux in the mail, but he seldom re-
ceived an answer, and always a very short
one when he did.
Since her return from her usual summer
soiourn at Saratoga he had been unable to
find her at home either time he had called,
and he had received no note IN explanation
Neither had Mr. or Mrs Desmond limited
She seemed TO go and come without re-
straint. The usual message had been that
she was visiting an old schOolmate and
would probably return home by the next
Sunday.
Two nights previous to the evening when
Howard 1horndIke sat muslng by his win
dow he attended the new opera at the
Casino, and was completely astonished for
the first time during the period of his ex-
istence.
Efhe-his Efie-was the prima- donna of
the opera troupe, and II was her singing
which was nightly bringing forth the
strongest encomlums of the press. She
was announced under a soubriquet, and
predicted TO be the future Jenny Lind of
light opera.
For him, he was considerably disturbed,
so much so that his companion in the box
noticed it and questioned him. but he had
evaded direct answer and pleaded indis-
position.
During the last act Fife had turned to-
ward the box in which he sat- and, seeing
his white, rigid face although o sign of
recognition passed between them knew
the agony beneath it. She tremhled and
fultered in her lines, and finally tainted on
the stage and was carried of
Thus ended the performance Tor that
night Thus ended the stage performance;
but Howard Thorndikes hnggard face and
set features told to his valet on the next
morning that it was he who had performed
the pedestrian feat of the night previous,
and that 1t was his staggering footsteps, as
he paced his room until the gray Of dawn
came through the closed curtains, which
had troubled the Wallets sleep.
The valet had knocked on the door of
his employers room at the usual time on
that morning. and, receiving no answer. he
looked in and saw the pillow case torn and
hanging IN shreds from between the
clencEed fingers of his employer, who laid
in his evening dress across the outside of
his bed where he had fallen asleep through
exhaustion.
The valet ordered breakfast. BY the
time it was in readiness Howard Thorn
dixie emerged from his sleeping apartment
with banched cheek and hollow eve. He
drank his coffee and pushed away the
breakfast. He could not eat
While the valet removed the edibles he
opened his mail. The last letter was from
Etlie-a short note, simply to give him her
address. He next turned his attention to
the papers; but he could not read. He sat
thinking. Getting up he lit a cigar, and
then glanced mechanically at the paper
What was that: Four double-hne scare
heads.